Improvement in toy wind-wheels



P. RAFFA. l

TOYWIND WHEELS. No.177.155. Patented May 9,1876.

mlnulmlu HMT-m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

PASQUALE BAFFA, OF BROOKLYN, NEVI/' YORK.

IMPROVEMENT iN rov WIND-WHEELS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,155, dated May 9, 1876; application led l 4 March 16, w76.

one direction in relation to its axis, from whatever direction and at whatever angle currents of air may strike it.

The invention consists in attaching to arms that project radially from the revolving disk of the wind-wheel the ends of iiexible vanes, which, when the wheel is stationary or in unmoving air, will be in aboutl the same plane 'with the disk; but when-the toy is rapidly moved in either direction, or struck bythe wind from either side, will be vibrated into an oblique position, according to the direc.

tion of the current, and will thereby enable the current to revolve the wheel, so that the radial arms will travel in advance of the vanes, that are respectively attached to them.

In the toy wind-wheels heretofore made the vanes were rigidly secured, during operation, in an oblique position to the revolving disk.

- This caused the disk to revolve vin one direction when the wind struck its face, and in the opposite direction when the windstruck its back.

In the accompanying drawing, Figurel is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved toy wind-wheel, showing the vanes inclined by a current of air that strikes them on the face. Fig. 2 is a similar view of part of thesame, the wind striking the backs of the vanes. Fig. 3 is a top View of the wind-wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding' parts in all the figures.

The letter A represents the handle of the toy, being a suitable stick or pole, to one end or part of which is secured the pivot or spindle a of a revolving disk or drum, B. This disk or drum B is of suitable diameter, and may be made of pasteboard,wood, or both, or of other lit material, and is hung upon the spindle a. To. the edge or circumference of this disk or drum are fastened, in suitable manner, a series of radially-projecting arms, c c, as clearly shown. To each of these arms c c is fastened one end of a flexible vane, d, as shown. These vanes d d are made of paper or other lightand flexible material, and

may be made to represent ags, or be otherwise ornamented in suitable manner.

All the vanes d d extend in the same direction from the respective arms c c, to which they are fastened.

When the toy is at rest or in unmoving air the vanes d d will be in about the same plane as the disk B; but when the toy. is rapidly moved, say up and down, forward or backward, or exposed to a current of air, the current caused by the rapid motion of the toy or otherwise'will, on striking the faces of the vanes, vibra-te said flexible vanes on their stems, and throw their loose ends -in the direction of the current. The current is thus, in its effect on the vanes, caused to glide from their fastened ends von the stems c toward their deflected free ends, and thus the wheel will be turned in the opposite direction, as shown bythe arrows in Fig. 3-that is, with the stems c c traveling in advance ot' their respective vanes.

The toy is thereby very amusing, as it will continue to revolve in the same direction, though lits handle is rapidly moved backward or forward, up or down, or exposed to contrary currents.

When exposed to two or more opposing currents at the same time, the wheel will be chiefly influenced by the stronger current.

I am aware that iiags have heretofore been attached to the spokes of wheels or toy hoopsv for ornamentation, but in such cases the wheels could not, nor were they intended, to

be used as wind-wheels, as their weight was too great in proportion to the area ofthe flags to be turned by the force of the wind or air striking the flags.

My invention relates strictly to toy windwheels in which the area of the iiexible wings is so extensive that the force of theV wind striking the wheel will preponderate over the weight of the said wheel sufficiently to cause the same to be revolved 5 and I therefore claim-'- In a toy wind-wheel, the exible vanes d d, attached with their ends to the radial arms c c in such a manner that the force of the wind striking either side of the vanes will cause the wheel to revolve in one direction, substantially as set forth.

Witnesses: -PASQUALE RAFFA.

ERNEST C. WEBB, A. MoRAGA. 

